Elastic material eor mattresses awd cushions



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS BRIGGS SMITH, OF MARIETTA, OHIO.

ELASTIC MATERIAL FOR MATTRESSES AND CUSHIONS.

Specification of Letters Patent No.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS Bizrees SMITH, of Marietta, in the county of Vashington and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful article of manufacture to be used as a substitute for curled hair in the manufacture of mattresses and in the other purposes to which curled hair and articles of a similar character are applied; and I do hereby declare that the following is a correct description of the saine, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a perspective view of a cone of spira-l fibers of wood, as it first comes from the machine. Fig. 2 shows a single fiber. Fig. 3 is a view of the cone after it has been subjected to the action of steam. Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of two of the fibers showing how they are arranged in the cone and Fig. 5 shows the cone in the act of being cut from the block.

The nature of my invention consists in cutting hickory, o larcedaaor other suitable wtd in o t in elastic shaviiigis'of'aiiy desired length width and thickness, and at the same time dividing said shavings longitudinally and coiling themv so as to form compound shavings or conical wooden springs, consisting of numerous threadlike fibers compactly and spirally coiled one within another, and then subjecting these to the action of steam in a suitable chamber.

The machinery by which the conical springs are produced I propose to make the subject of another application. I will not therefore further describe it in this specification than by saying that the wood is divided longitudinally and vertically into fibers of any desired minuteness by a number of cutters, and that these are followed by a 22,037, dated November 9, 1858.

series of planing tools which successively raise the fibers, thus previously vertically divided, by a horizontal cut, and coil them within one another, in the manner shown by Fig. 4.

vWhen the article first comes from the machine it presents the appearance (as shown in Fig. l) of a small, lqngnconicahaninutely divided and tiglitlyprpolled shaving. In this state 'itissubj'ected for a few moments to the action of steam in a suitable chamber, by which it is expanded (as seen in Fig. and rendered soft and elastic, and ready for use when it forms an admirable and economical substitute for curled hair. A due admixture of the cones formed from red cedar with those produced from other woods will prevent eifectually the approach of vermin to the mattress or other article in which this stufling may be employed.

The shavings produced by the ordinary operation of planing are often spirally. curled, but being formed of a single sliver, they have not the requisite strength and elasticity to sustain the weights to which mattresses, &c., are subjected. They immediately mat down and become hard and useless. I do not therefore claim a. shaving or coil consisting of a single piece, but

The compound coil of spiral woody fibers herein before described and represented when prepared substantially as described, and used as a substitute for curled hair.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 19th day of October, 1858.

T. BRIGGS SMIT'I-I.

Witnesses I). NEN-Nine, Giras. F. STANsU-Rr. 

